Greensburg, Pittsburgh Catholic dioceses announce slightly relaxed rules starting May 15

Catholic churches in both the Greensburg Diocese and Pittsburgh Diocese will be permitted to reopen their doors for private prayer beginning May 15, diocese officials have announced.

Pittsburgh Diocese officials also eased restrictions on weddings and funeral Masses from having no more than 10 people in attendance to no more than 25 people, starting the same day.

Greensburg Diocese officials have yet to set a date when their 140,000 parishioners in Westmoreland, Armstrong, Indiana and Fayette counties can once more attend Mass in person, but officials said they are working on a plan.

Pittsburgh Diocese officials also don’t have a date for in-person Mass to resume for its 628,000 Catholics in Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Greene, Lawrence and Washington counties.

“Our strategic reopening plan will be done in phases based on comprehensive recommendations from a diocesan covid-19 task force team in coordination and consultation with state and regional health care leaders,” Bishop David Zubik said in a news release.

Each parish in both dioceses will be required to adhere to cleaning and sanitization guidelines.

Many parishes also will offer confessions outdoors or in other parts of churches because confessionals don’t meet health and safety guidelines.